


smallest steps

by softbebe



Series: always ends soft [5]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 16:49:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11673177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softbebe/pseuds/softbebe
Summary: It takes all of Hoseok’s willpower not to trace a finger down the bridge of Minhyuk’s nose, over his cheek, his lips.





	smallest steps

**Author's Note:**

> and here we go, the last part that i have written! i'm going to leave this series as ongoing so that if (when) i think of other little shorts, i can just add them to this. i've got a much longer fic in the works, but it's nice to take a break with little drabbles in the process.

Hoseok is typically the first to wake up when they room together, and this morning is no different. He opens his eyes to the sight of the still perfectly-made bed across the way, and turns over to find Minhyuk still fast asleep, chin tucked under the blanket, one hand curled loosely in front of his face.

It takes all of Hoseok’s willpower not to trace a finger down the bridge of Minhyuk’s nose, over his cheek, his lips. Not to brush the hair out of his eyes to get a better look at his eyelashes. It still astounds Hoseok, after this many years of knowing him, that somebody so beautiful exists.

He’s always been fond of Minhyuk, drawn to the ease Minhyuk has with people, to the sun that seems to beam out of his smile, to the volume of his voice even though it can grate on his nerves sometimes. He’s been drawn to Minhyuk from the beginning, but with time it had become obvious that he wanted Minhyuk’s attention just a little bit differently than he wanted the others’, that Minhyuk’s smile made him feel butterflies in a slightly different way.

He’s very careful with his heart, only takes the smallest steps toward things, but it made him feel so good, so _happy_ , realizing that he liked Minhyuk. He likes liking Minhyuk, was so ecstatic when those feelings were reciprocated, loves the time they spend together like this just as much as he always loved – and still loves – the time they spend together as friends. There’s no real dividing line, anyway, at least not for him.

He carefully touches Minhyuk’s hand, slides his index finger into Minhyuk’s palm. His chest tingles. He can’t take it any longer.

“Minhyukie.”

His voice is gravel in his throat. He brushes his finger along Minhyuk’s palm. Tries again.

“Minhyukie. Minhyuk.”

Minhyuk stirs, but not enough. His hand closes around Hoseok’s finger, and then he’s still again.

Smiling, Hoseok bumps their knees together under the blankets and says, voice finally waking up, “Lee Minhyuk.”

Minhyuk lets out a breath, eyelids twitching and then clenching tightly. “What?” he grumbles, voice more gravel than Hoseok’s had been.

“Nothing,” Hoseok whispers, the feeling in his chest so perilously fragile and overwhelming that it constricts his voice. He thinks his cheeks might already be numb from smiling.

Minhyuk grumbles something unintelligible, squints open one eye the tiniest amount, then clenches it back shut. “Hyung, what the fuck.”

Hoseok snuggles closer, wraps an arm over Minhyuk’s shoulder, taking the back of Minhyuk’s head and pressing his face to his chest. He slings his leg over both of Minhyuk’s.

_“Hyung,”_ Minhyuk complains, muffled.

“You looked cute.”

“I hate you,” Minhyuk whispers. Hoseok giggles and smacks a kiss onto the top of his head.

By some twist of fate, Minhyuk is up first, wriggling out of Hoseok’s hold and shuffling to the bathroom. He returns scrubbing a hand through his hair, eyes still squinting against being awake. He grabs his phone and checks his messages, then pulls on some clothes.

Rubbing a knuckle into the corner of his eye socket, he looks down at Hoseok, then holds out his hand and says, “Gonna go eat. You coming?”

Hoseok loosely tangles his fingers with Minhyuk’s, though he shakes his head. “Gonna shower first.”

“’Kay,” Minhyuk says, giving Hoseok’s fingers a squeeze before letting go. He leaves while rubbing the heel of his palm over his eye.

Hoseok hears a long yawn before the door shuts, and then he turns over in bed and smiles into the blankets, reveling in a few more minutes of this peaceful feeling before he too gets up and gets moving.

* * *

When they finally touch down on home soil it’s late, or early, and they have work in a few hours because of course they do. Not even a tour is a good reason for a break. Hoseok isn’t complaining. They’re making it, he can feel it. They’re breaking through. Their momentum keeps growing so they _have_ to, they _need_ to keep working.

But now they have a few hours to sleep. They all trudge into the dorm like zombies, all kick off their shoes, stumbling in the process. They all head straight to their beds. Most of them, at least.

Hoseok catches Minhyuk getting a glass of water in the kitchen, the lights too bright, making his head pound behind his eyeballs.

Minhyuk hears the pad of his feet and turns to him in question. Hoseok takes him in his arms, buries his face in his neck, and hugs him tight.

“What?” Minhyuk mutters, sounding tired but also the beginnings of concerned.

Hoseok shakes his head. “Nothing,” he says. “Everything’s fine.”

And it is. It’s all fine. He just wanted a hug, wanted to give one, wanted to hold Minhyuk close for a moment. It feels nice, good. Minhyuk is warm, and he fits against Hoseok just right, thin and sturdy and everything Hoseok is used to feeling. He smells, just faintly, like himself, and mostly just the nothing smell of a long flight on an airplane.

Hoseok lets his lips brush against Minhyuk’s neck as he says quietly, “Get some sleep.”

And then he lets go, turns out of the kitchen before he lingers too long. Softly, Minhyuk’s reply follows him, tucks him into bed, whispers him into sweet dreams: “Good night.”


End file.
